202 FORT YUMA 
sluice of the river, where we encamped. There was 
no appearance of grass here; but with plenty of wil- 
lows and cotton-wood, the animals seemed content. As 
we were all fatigued from our night’s journey, we 
threw ourselves on the sand, and, after a couple of 
hours’ sleep, awoke quite refreshed, and ready for our 
coffee and breakfast. 
All about us we found signs that a large encamp- 
ment of Americans had been here, with indications of 
a cache. These were the tires of two wheels straight- 
ened and inserted so deeply in the ground that they 
could not be withdrawn. They were probably land 
marks, from which bearings had been taken and dis- 
tances measured. There had evidently been a great 
breaking up of wagons and destruction of property 
here. The day was very hot, and rendered more 
oppressive by the bare sand around us. The bottom 
land was broad, and but partially wooded. Near us 
was a sluice, which had been filled when the river was 
high, or it may have been a bend of the river through 
which the water had flowed. We did not see the river. 
Just before sunset, we resumed our journey, continu- 
ing a few miles along the river bottom where the road 
was good. We then ascended about one hundred and 
twenty feet to a plateau, up a very steep and rocky 
way, where I much feared our wagons would be crush- 
ed; but by the soldiers taking hold, and every man 
pushing and pulling, we at length surmounted the hill. 
The road was now hard and smooth, until we came to - 
an arroyo, which we had to descend, and then cross 
over steep and rocky hills, which again endangered 
the wagons. On reaching the crest of the table-land, 
